Weft & Warp gets artistic with its environs and its food

Caked with cotija cheese, drizzled with aioli and sprinkled with herbs, the elote appetizer is a work of art, exploding with color and flavor.

The charred corn appetizer was just the start of what would be a feast for the eyes and taste buds at Andaz Scottsdale Resort & Spa’s onsite restaurant, Weft & Warp Art Bar + Kitchen.

Weft & Warp prioritizes art over everything else, from the near-perfect presentation on the plate to the custom-made artwork throughout the restaurant – from the back of the house to the front.

“There’s no one Andaz alike,” says Chef Jayson Thompson, executive sous chef at Weft & Warp. “What Andaz does is take their surroundings, so Scottsdale being very art driven, that’s what our theme is.”

Art is at the heart

For its artwork throughout the resort and its guest rooms, Andaz Scottsdale kept it local, sourcing from an artist compound located less than 1 mile away: Cattle Track Arts & Preservation.

Cattle Track provides most of the art in the restaurant, from artist Chance Philips’ Faces I’ve Seen art in the private dining area to Cattle Track potter Mary Van Dusen’s handcrafted ceramic plates, platters, bowls and mugs.

“We also have two bar stools here with two artists’ plaques,” Thompson says. “When you have something that’s handmade, none of them are the same thing.”

And that includes the food.

Thompson knows people eat with their eyes first, so presentation is very important to him and his team in the kitchen.

“We’ll try to do a lot of colors, bright – make the food look like art as well, so it stands out more,” he says.

Keeping it spicy

For the new menu, Thompson’s concept was twofold: use as many local ingredients as possible and showcase Arizona – and all its bright, beautiful colors – on every plate.

“The average guest wanted more variety, more things they were familiar with,” Thompson says. “We opened up our menu a bit, but still kept things and stayed true to what we started with.”

Quail and rabbit were among the offerings removed from the menu. However, lamb belly stayed, as did a lot of local ingredients, including Arizona hatch chili powder, which is used in the green chile roasted chicken dish, among other dishes.

“Spices are our big thing,” Thompson says, adding he uses a blend of different local spices, such as Aleppo pepper and Sonoran olive oil. The finishing and spices are the real stars of the dish.

“We use more spices than the actual ingredients themselves,” Thompson says. “It’s more unique than just using a pepper or something from here. With the spice, we can make our own blends and mix it from there.”

Thompson latest creation? A blend of spices called desert spice, which is used on a couple breakfast items and Weft & Warp’s potato chips.

“It’s a blend of about eight or nine different local spices,” Thompson said, listing off Aleppo, pimenton, Sonoran sea salt and dark chili powder among the included spices.

When choosing ingredients from local vendors, which includes McClendon’s Select based in Peoria and Peddler’s Son Produce in Phoenix, Thompson is careful to order approachable familiar ingredients.

“We use mole sauce and salsa verde, adobo and different things like that that people have heard of or are familiar with, but we use them in a different way with marinating or as a finishing,” Thompson says. “I would say we are simple, fresh, clean.”

Fresh and intimate

Compared to other resort restaurants, Weft & Warp is on the smaller end – but Thompson wouldn’t have it any other way.

In the restaurant, one of the most intimate spaces is the glass-enclosed exhibition kitchen where guests can watch the chef whip up each visually appealing dish.

Thompson also has limited storage space for his meats and produce, but he uses it to his advantage.

“We only have one walk-in that I use for meats and produce, so we get delivery seven days a week,” Thompson says. “I keep small orders coming in every day, so we keep the product as fresh as possible.”

A recipe for success

Andaz Scottsdale’s fresh approach to showcasing local art and local ingredients has clearly paid off: It was voted as one of the top resorts in the world in Condé Nast Traveler’s 2018 Readers’ Choice Awards, ranking No. 7 in the Top Resort in the U.S. Southwest category.

“It is a huge honor for us to continue to be named among the top resorts in the Southwest, and it means so much that it is our guests who voted us onto this coveted list,” says Mike Waddill, general manager of Andaz Scottsdale.

Andaz Scottsdale was also recognized in last year’s Readers’ Choice Awards, which ranks the world’s best hotels, resorts, cities, islands, airlines, airports and cruise lines. It’s also considered the longest-running and most prestigious recognition of excellence in the travel industry.

“We aim to connect our visitors with interesting cultural experiences that leave them enriched and inspired, and we are grateful to have such an incredible team that delivers these memorable and enriching experiences to our guests daily,” Waddill says.

Event Details

Phoenix Fan Fusion is a family-friendly event where they invite enthusiasts of every fandom, geeks of all kinds, creators, artists, entertainers, cosplayers, fans, and friends to join their family and

Event Details

Phoenix Fan Fusion is a family-friendly event where they invite enthusiasts of every fandom, geeks of all kinds, creators, artists, entertainers, cosplayers, fans, and friends to join their family and experience what they embrace as their culture, our world, and our passions. There’s a bit of geek in us all. Come discover your inner geek at Phoenix Fan Fusion.

What to do at phoenix fan fusion

Make friends: meet like-minded people and make friends just like you. If you have a burning passion hotter than the intensity of 1000 suns, join thousands of fans just like you, share your passion, and explore new fandoms.

Dress up: from novice to expert to professional, costumes are a big part of Phoenix Fan Fusion. You should expect to see lots of popular characters from comic books, movies, and tv shows. So, dust off that old costume or put something new together and strut your stuff! If you’re not the cosplayer type, that’s okay too. Take in the sites, do a little “cosplay watching”, or ask one of our many costumed attendees for a quick picture to commemorate the day.

Celebrities: meet your favorite comic book authors and writers, movie and tv stars, pop culture icons, and fandom celebrities. Guest panels give you an opportunity to hear guests talk about past, current, and upcoming projects, and sometimes answer questions from the audience. Purchase a professional photo with you and a guest or buy an autographed photo.

Panels and events: join all the geek-themed fun during the countless hours of programming. From games, demonstrations, debates, meet-ups, crafts, costuming, workshops, contests, and signature events, there’s plenty to do during the weekend. Most panels are family-friendly and many are designed for kids and families.

Gaming: whether it’s playing arcade games, joining the multiple e-gaming tournaments, or jumping into a table top game, get your game on at Phoenix Fan Fusion. Spend some time in a virtual world, visit the gaming showcase to see new and upcoming games, or follow along with the live stream from inside the gaming hall. It’s a gamer’s paradise!

Phoenix Fan Fusion is 4 days of fun for geeks of all ages. Memorial day weekend, 2019 Phoenix Fan Fusion is the place to be. Discover your inner geek!

Time

23 (Thursday) 10:00 a.m. - 26 (Sunday) 5:00 p.m.

Location

Phoenix Convention Center

1000 N. Third Street, Phoenix.

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